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ScorecardAfghanistan, the favourites to win Group B at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, suffered a comprehensive defeat to their closest rivals, Netherlands, who romped home with seven wickets and 43 balls to spare. Having won the toss and decided to bat, only two Afghanistan players – Mohammad Shahzad and Najibullah Zadran – made it into double figures in a meagre total of 90. None of the Netherlands bowlers conceded more than 5.50 runs an over, with Mudassar Bukhari, Paul van Meekeren, Pieter Seelaar and Ahsan Malik all claiming two wickets. Captain Peter Borren then thrashed 38 from 15 balls after two wickets for Mohammad Nabi had briefly checked the run chase.
ScorecardGeraint Jones’ experience helped guide Papua New Guinea to a high-scoring four-wicket victory against troubled Kenya as they chased down 177 with 14 balls to spare. Jones hit 44 off 32 balls, but it was Kila Pala who top-scored with 46 off 30 deliveries as PNG, whose warm-up victory against Ireland now looks less of a fluke, always kept themselves ahead of the rate. Steve Tikolo, drafted back in for this tournament in a desperate measure by Kenya, opened the bowling and conceded 28 off two overs as the PNG openers cut loose during the Powerplay. Although they both fell inside the first six overs, PNG did not let the momentum go to waste. Tikolo had earlier produced his own hard-hitting display with a rapid 38 and Collins Obuya’s unbeaten 53 set up what appeared a commanding total, but Kenya’s bowling proved well below what was required.
ScorecardNepal began their campaign with a huge victory over Denmark, but they will be concerned that they lost five wickets in the chase of a low target, and had to depend on their captain Paras Khadka. Nepal’s bowlers shot out Denmark for 79 in 19.4 overs, with Sagar Pun taking 3 for 12 and Basant Regmi 2 for 8. Only three Denmark batsmen made it into double figures. Nepal’s chase got off to a horrific start though, with two wickets falling before they had scored. Khadka then dominated a 67-run partnership for the third wicket by scoring 48 off 34 balls. After he was dismissed, Nepal lost two more wickets with the score on 68, before they achieved the target in 13.1 overs.
ScorecardA collection of nugget-sized scores from Bermuda’s batsmen allowed them to post 149, after which Janeiro Tucker and Jacobi Robinson took three wickets each to sink Scotland. Bermuda lost wickets regularly after choosing to bat, and only three batsmen made it past 20. Opener Dion Stovell top scored with 29, and Lionel Cann contributed 27. Scotland were comfortably placed in their chase, with three of their top four batsmen getting starts and passing 25, but the rest of their batting line-up fell away tamely. From 109 for 3 in the 15th over, Scotland were eventually dismissed for 131 in 19.5 overs, with Tucker and Robinson doing all the damage.

Nottingham Forest have a potential plan in mind if they cannot stop Joe Worrall from departing this summer.

What’s the news?

According to Claret and Hugh, Forest boss Steve Cooper has scouted West Ham’s Emmanuel Longelo on “several occasions” and he could be used as a “makeweight” in a deal that would see centre-back Worrall head the other way.

The report also claimed that the East Midlands club had a “ridiculously low” bid for the 21-year-old rejected back in January, but the Championship outfit remain keen on bringing him to the City Ground.

Time to replace Colback

Jack Colback has been filling in for Nottingham Forest at left-back, with Max Lowe currently out with a groin injury, and unlikely to return until late April.

The 32-year-old Sunderland youth academy graduate has earned praise for stepping in for the ex-Derby prospect, living up to the “bulldog” comparison made by teammate Phillip Zinckernagel earlier on in the season, averaging a 6.89 match rating according to SofaScore, in the second tier – playing in an unfamiliar position.

However, he may not have to fill in on the left side of defence for much longer, as the club eye up a transfer for Longelo.

Valued at £135k by Transfermarkt, the youngster could potentially prove to be excellent value for money – particularly if he is included as a sweetener in the Worrall deal.

A rapid full-back who loves to attack, in many ways he is similar to fan-favourite loaned-in Djed Spence – just operating on the opposite flank.

Described as “very impressive” by London Evening Standard journalist Jack Rosser, Longelo has made 14 Premier League 2 appearances this season, grabbing three assists and earning a start in the Hammers’ 1-0 home loss in the Europa League to Croatian outfit Dinamo Zagreb.

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Having also been named as one of three players set for breakthrough years at West Ham by the Evening Standard in late December, alongside Sonny Perkins and Ben Johnson, it’s clear that the East London club rate him highly.

But, the promise of first-team football, even if Forest earn promotion to the top flight, could prove enough to persuade him to become a part of the Cooper project and East Midlands revolution.

In other news: Nottingham Forest plot bid for 23 y/o “real leader”, he’s an ideal Worrall replacement

Mario Olivier in full flight © Keith Lane

Mario Olivier, the Warriors right-arm seam bowler, dismissed all ten Eagles batsmen to become only the third South African to do so at first-class level. “I can’t describe my feelings, but I’m on cloud nine,” Olivier told after claiming figures of 10 for 65 in the SuperSport series in Bloemfontein on Saturday (December 1).The last South African to perform the feat was Western Province’s Stephen Jeffries, who had figures of 10 for 59 against Free State in 1987-88.Olivier, 25, was given a break after taking eight wickets in an uninterrupted 12-over spell, and was hoping that none of the other bowlers took the remaining wickets while he was waiting to be brought back by captain Zander de Bruyn.”Zander knew I wanted to bowl to get the ten,” Olivier said. “He is the captain and I respect his decisions. But he did say it was my day and I would bowl again after lunch. It was probably not a nice thing to do but I prayed that no one else would take a wicket.” On his return, Olivier dismissed Boeta Dippenaar and then had Victor Mpitsang caught behind to reach the landmark as the Eagles were bowled out for 300.Olivier’s efforts were in vain, though, as the Eagles dismissed the Warriors for 215 in their second innings and knocked off the 24 runs required, to go to the top of the leader board in the SuperSport series.

Most of the players who appeared for the conditioning camp for the tour of South Africa are expected to feature in Pakistan’s preliminary squad for the World Cup © Getty Images

Pakistan will announce their 30-man provisional squad for this year’s World Cup in the Caribbean early next week, according to Ahsan Malik, the PCB’s director of communications. With Wasim Bari, the chief selector, out of the country and Iqbal Qasim, the former Test cricketer and member of the national selection committee, hospitalised after suffering a heart attack, Pakistan were forced to hold back on the announcement.”We are more or less clear on what sort of pool to announce for the World Cup but would announce the provisional squad after a final round of discussion among the selection committee and the national team management,” Malik told . “The list would be announced within a couple of days after the chief selector returns home. The selectors might have a few discussions among each other and may also discuss the issue with [Bob] Woolmer and Inzamam-ul-Haq before naming the squad.The deadline is January 13, though several of the 16 teams, including defending champions Australia, have already announced their squads. Pakistan are unlikely to make any surprise additions to a list of 25 players who attended a brief conditioning camp in Lahore late last month in preparation for the tour of South Africa. Medium pacers Mohammad Khalil and Samiullah Khan, Fawad Alam, the young allrounder, and and Imran Niazi, the opener, are likely to be added in the World Cup preliminary squad. Fawad, who was the best player of the domestic Twenty20 Cup last month, is the only new face expected to make the list.According to the ICC, the deadline for submission of the final 14-member squads for the World Cup is February 13, a month before the tournament’s opening game between Pakistan and the West Indies on March 13 in Jamaica.

New Zealand 256 for 5 (Astle 90*) beat Sri Lanka 255 for 7 (Tharanga 103, Atapattu 52) by five wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out

Nathan Astle played a fine knock that took New Zealand to victory at Christchurch © Getty Images

New Zealand – held back by an elegant century from Upul Tharanga and the Christchurch rain – scrambled to a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka at the Jade Stadium, and took a 3-0 lead in the five-ODI series (one match was played in late 2004 but following the Indian Ocean tsunami the series was temporarily abandoned). Sri Lanka, put in to bat, managed 255, and New Zealand, powered by Nathan Astle, overhauled the target after a being given a serious scare towards the end of their chase.At this venue, with its distinct lack of movement in the air or off the wicket, and short boundaries, a score of 255 should not have caused serious concern. Yet New Zealand managed to make heavy weather of the target. If it were not for a couple of expensive no-balls – Dilhara Fernando and Chaminda Vaas both had Astle dismissed off no-balls when New Zealand needed to score at more than a run-a-ball, things might well have been different.Defending 256 was a tough ask of the men handling the white ball – Chaminda Vaas began admirably, applying the pressure at one end. But Farveez Maharoof, without the benefit of the same experience and skill as his senior partner, struggled to keep Lou Vincent quiet. Vincent opened the face of the bat and drove confidently through the line, forcing the ball through the square field on the off side with power.The fifty of the opening partnership came up in just the eighth over, and even the fall of both openers soon after, with 71 on the board, was little cause for worry. Astle, brought into the game as SuperSub, stabilised the innings with Peter Fulton, who chipped in with a promising 32, and the rain that came down provided a twist.While the required run rate never really ran away from New Zealand, the fall of Hamish Marshall, lbw to Muttiah Muralitharan, and Scott Styris, brilliantly caught by Tillakaratne Dilshan diving football goalkeeper style, caused a flutter or two and raised the hopes of the Lankans. In the end, though, a well set Astle – once caught off a no-ball and once bowled off a no-ball – settled the issue, scoring 90 not out and New Zealand won with 12 balls to spare. Astle was given a timely boost by Chris Cairns, who cracked a huge six off the last ball of Murali’s spell, and gave the innings the momentum they needed to go over the finish line.When Daniel Vettori, standing in for Stephen Fleming, won the toss, he had little hesitation in choosing to put Sri Lanka in. That Sanath Jayasuriya had slipped in the shower reaching for his shampoo, dislocated his shoulder and ruled himself out of the game did not help Sri Lanka.Shane Bond bowled with genuine pace early on and hurried both Tharanga and Avishka Gunawardene through their strokes. While surviving the Bond barrage was on the top of Tharanga’s mind, Gunawardene still appeared keen to score. He closed the face of his bat a touch too early on one delivery and sent an edge towards point where Hamish Marshall kept his eyes on the ball and took a sharp catch. At 24 for 1 Sri Lanka were in danger of slipping, but Kumar Sangakkara ensured this did not happen.Sangakkara was hesitant at first, but understood the need to keep wickets in hand even if the runs were not flowing too freely. He let Tharanga take charge of the run-getting, and this worked well. When Cairns and Jacob Oram came on to bowl first change, Tharanga gave full freedom to his pleasing off-side strokeplay. The zone between backward point and wide mid off took a peppering as fielders scrambled to save the ball. Tharanga was comfortable off front and back foot, and easily found the gaps. On occasion he was even audacious enough to come down the pitch to Oram and drive inside out.Vettori pulled things back somewhat, even as Sri Lanka’s batsmen aimed to be positive against him. The Tharanga-Sangakkara partnership had burgeoned to 109 when Bond struck. Sangakkara dropped one to the leg side and set off for a quick single, but was sent back by his partner. Bond, well into his followthrough, fielded well and nailed the stumps at the keeper’s end with a strong throw before Sangakkara (36) could recover his ground.Then New Zealand pulled things back, picking up wickets at regular intervals. Marvan Atapattu was forced to seal one end up and he did so with some panache. Tharanga reached his second ODI century – a crucial one given how much of the team’s score he had singlehandedly accounted for – but was dismissed soon after. He pulled Oram straight down Fulton’s throat on the square-leg fence, and was dismissed for 103.Mahela Jayawardene, Dilshan and Maharoof all failed, with Dilshan’s wicket taking Cairns to 200 scalps. Had it not been for Atapattu’s controlled innings at the death – he made a better than run-a-ball half-century without ever seeming to break into a sweat – Sri Lanka would have struggled even to get to their eventual 255.How they were outNew ZealandJamie How c Mubarak b Vaas 12 (59 for 1)
Lou Vincent c Sangakkara b Maharoof 46 (71 for 2)
Peter Fulton c Jayawardene b Dilshan 32 (143 for 3)
Hamish Marshall lbw b Muralitharan 12 (170 for 4)
Scott Styris c Dilshan b Maharoof 28 (219 for 5)
Sri LankaAvishka Gunawardene c Marshall b Bond 3 (24 for 1)
Kumar Sangakkara run out (Bond) 36 (133 for 2)
Mahela Jayawardene C McCullum b Mills 6 (150 for 3)
Upul Tharanga c Fulton b Oram 103 (169 for 4)
Tillakaratne Dilshan c Oram b Cairns 11 (198 for 5)
Farveez Maharoof b Mills 7 (217 for 7)
Marvan Atapattu run out (Astle) 52 (254 for 7)

Marvan Atapattu led Sri Lanka to a splendid triumph in the 2004 edition of the Asia Cup© AFP

Pakistan will host their first Asia Cup one-day tournament in March 2006, according to Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.The decision was made at a meeting of the Asian Cricket Council in Dubai. Shaharyar told the Reuters news agency that Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India have all confirmed that they will participate, while qualifiers will also feature.Pakistan has not hosted any of the previous editions of the tournament, which was first held in 1984. The last Asia Cup, the eighth of its kind, was held in Sri Lanka last year and six teams, including Hong Kong and UAE, took part. Sri Lanka dominated the tournament and overcame India in the final in Colombo.

ScorecardThe West Indian tourists enjoyed a gentle warm-up match in preparation for the five-match ODI series, beating a rather disappointing Zimbabwe A side at Kwekwe Sports Club in the Midlands by seven wickets.The medium-pace of Wavell Hinds caused most of the damage after Zimbabwe decided to bat. Hinds took three quick wickets and played the major role in reducing Zimbabwe A to 96 for 5. Then came a face-saving stand of 90 between Barney Rogers and Alester Maregwede, the only two players who will have done much to enhance their reputations in the eyes of the national selectors. Chris Gayle bowled his offbreaks with skill at the death, and Zimbabwe A’s 239 for 8 was respectable but hardly challenging.Gayle fell to the persistent Gary Brent for a single in the second over of the innings, but this was to be the extent of Zimbabwe A’s success. Hinds and Shivnarine Chanderpaul both passed 60 before retiring to give Marlon Samuels and Ramnaresh Sarwan some batting practice, and they took the tourists home with almost 13 overs in hand. The runs always came at a good rate, but the crowd was disappointed not to see Brian Lara in action with the bat. Perhaps the man who might have benefited most from an innings was Ricky Powell, added to the party for the one-day series which starts at Bulawayo on Saturday.

An unbeaten hundred from RVC Prasad and his remarkable 168-run with No. 9 Hemal Watekar brought Andhra within shouting distance of Gujarat’s first-innings score of 499 on the penultimate day of the five-day Ranji pre-quarterfinal between the two sides at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad.Earlier, Andhra, who resumed at 250 for six, lost two early wickets in the morning. The score was 269 for eight when Watekar joined Prasad. In the 86 overs that followed the two men resuscitated Andhra hopes. When stumps were drawn, Prasad was batting on142 off 378 balls, a knock which included 20 fours, while Watekar was batting on a patient 61. All is now set for an engrossing first session on the final day. Whichever team secures the lead will make it to the quarterfinal. Gujarat needing just two quick wickets are still the favourites. But as anyone who has followed Andhra’s fairytale run would tell, one would be writing off the latter at one’s own peril.

This match is set up for what could be an exciting finishtomorrow morning, as Manicaland, set the highest total of thematch for victory, 210, finished the day more than halfway there,on 117 with three wickets down. On the first day both inningshad been dominated by one player; a third and less experiencedplayer was to stand out in the Matabeleland second innings.Development player Wisdom Sibiza, making his first-class debut,held the batting together by carrying his bat throughout thecompleted innings.The day’s play began in sunshine, with Matabeleland having a59-run advantage on first innings which looked likely to provedecisive unless they made a major hash of their second innings.Charles Coventry and Sibiza gave their team no immediate causefor alarm with the first double-figure opening stand of thematch.Gary Brent, though, struck back for Manicaland with three wicketsin the morning session. Although still bowling the occasionalloose ball, he found much more control, holding the ball down theseam for most of the time, and found good movement and occasionallift. Coventry (24), the more enterprising of the two batsmen,gradually found his confidence and was feeling quite comfortable,by his own admission, when he fended off a lifter from Brent tobe caught by Steve Lawson in the slips with the total on 34.Captain Mark Vermeulen came in but had only two to his name whenhe played forward to Brent and was adjudged lbw, possibly outsidethe line of off stump. Dion Ebrahim quickly received a flierfrom Brent and gave a low chance in the gully that was put down.Almost immediately a light shower of rain drove the players fromthe field.Ebrahim was not to last long, though, turning a ball from Brentfirmly but straight to short leg Stuart Matsikenyeri, out for 3with the score on 46 for three. Neil van Rensburg came in butthen came more rain; a total of 35 minutes was lost before lunch.Play resumed with 14 minutes before lunch, and van Rensburg wasdropped at the wicket slashing outside off stump at Patrick Gada.At the interval the score was 50 for three (Sibiza 16, vanRensburg 2), and the light rain started again almost immediately.Only a few minutes were lost before play started againafterwards. Van Rensburg played a handsome cover drive but then,on 10, padded up to a ball from Soma that came back in and wasgiven out lbw. Brent was more erratic after lunch, but took afourth wicket with a bad ball, a short one down the leg side atwhich the new batsman Warren Gilmour (0) swung and walked for atickle to the keeper. At 63 for five, Matabeleland were indanger of throwing it away.Sibiza was still there, driving and missing occasionally butkeeping his head down the rest of the time and batting soundly.He had sound support for a while from Shaun Commerford (14) andIan Engelbrecht (13), both out to Mark Burmester, to take thescore to 110 for seven. Then Matthew Townshend, son of formernational player and current Matabeleland manager Derrick, decidedto take the long handle and hit out powerfully, strikingBurmester for 4, 6 and 6 off successive balls, the sixestravelling over midwicket and long-on. He was given out for 22,caught at slip by Dion Yatras off off-spinner Steve Lawson,although it appeared the ball came off his pad, and there was ageneral feeling that the umpires were rather too trigger-happy,as there were several dubious decisions in the innings.At tea the score was 148 for eight (Siziba 38, Brown 10), thelatter having scooped Lawson for two successive fours over mid-onjust before tea. The innings was to fold meekly soon afterwardsfor just two more runs, though, both to Lawson, Brown beingsmartly stumped by Neil Ferreira and Hitz, doubtless hindered bynerves, driving loosely and lobbing a catch to Brent at coverwithout scoring. Sibiza carried his bat through the innings fora determined, if somewhat fortunate at times, 40. Brent, despitehis post-lunch wildness, finished with the commendable ifslightly flattering figures of 16-5-16-4.Manicaland were left to score 210 to win, the highest total ofthe match – which seemed unlikely in the context of this matchbut they had scored 357 against Midlands the previous weekend.They made a positive start, with Ferreira and the promoted Brentmoving the score along with some enterprising strokes. Bothsides appeared more fired up than at any stage in the match,especially when the score reached the thirties and it was clearthat Manicaland were not going to roll over.Matters changed immediately the spinners were brought on. In hisfirst over Engelbrecht yorked Ferreira (16), beating him inflight, and the wicket-keeper left the field during play for thefirst time in the match. Then in the next over Brown had Brentcaught by van Rensburg at slip, both wickets falling at 50.Burmester’s policy seemed to be to wait for the wide ball andhammer it for four, and for a long time it worked. His firstfive scoring shots were all boundaries, although one was a thininside edge that just missed the stumps. He had a couple ofother narrow escapes, but fortune favoured the brave for quite awhile. At the other end Gada played a valuable supporting role,playing the occasional good attacking stroke but generallyfinding the fielder.Burmester was just past fifty when an attempted pull lobbed theball just over slip, but he did not enjoy his escape for long.Moving down the pitch to Engelbrecht, he played over a ball to bebowled. His 53 came off 69 balls and included 8 fours; it wasscored out of a stand of 59 with Gada. With the lightdeteriorating rapidly, the umpires refused to come off until tenminutes to six, and Gada (12) and night-watchman Terry Denyer (0)fought successfully for survival and will carry on the fight inthe morning. Manicaland’s last seven batsmen need another 93runs to win, and with their best men gone they will have to dowell to get them.

Everton could be set for their most difficult summer for a while, with the club currently navigating financial troubles, as well as battling to remain in the Premier League for next season.

However, even if they do maintain their top-flight status, they will also face a difficult battle to keep ahold of a number of their key players, including Richarlison, who reportedly wants a permanent transfer away from the club.

What’s the news?

According to Goal, Manchester United could capitalise on the Brazilian striker’s situation at Goodison Park, and lure him to Old Trafford to bolster their attacking options, with Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo’s futures still unclear.

The Red Devils, who were rejected by the Everton star back in the January 2020 transfer window, will, however, be up against Spanish giants Real Madrid in the race for his signature.

Difficult to replace

Despite going through a difficult spell of form over the last eight games, in which he has averaged a 6.6 match rating according to SofaScore, the 24-year-old remains as important as ever to Frank Lampard’s plans at Finch Farm, and to lose him would be a major disaster.

After arriving at Everton as a 21-year-old back in July 2018, for £35m, he has made 142 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring 47 goals and assisting 12 more.

This season, he has netted just four Premier League goals in 20 appearances, setting up only three as he averages a 6.82 match rating this season, not helped by his 11% goal conversion rate and three big chances missed so far.

Once hailed as an “amazing talent” by former Watford manager Marco Silva during the forward’s time at the Hertfordshire club, his career has gone from strength to strength ignoring this campaign, having already made an impressive 32 appearances for Brazil and scoring ten goals.

According to FBRef, Richarlison remains one of the top pressing forwards in Europe, ranking in the top 6% among attacking-midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions for pressures per 90 (21.99), top 7% for tackles per 90 (1.40) and top 8% for interceptions per 90 (0.75).

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Rated at £49.5m by Transfermarkt, the former Fluminense prospect would be difficult to replace for Everton, and if they do end up in the Championship, fans will not want to get used to a replacement of far lower quality.

In other news: Everton can finally axe “reckless” £112k-p/w flop by unleashing Lampard’s next Kovacic